Introduction: A War Sustained from Abroad
By nearly every measure, the ongoing war in Sudan is the worst conflict in the world today. Since fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, the country has spiraled into chaos. The numbers paint a grim picture:
- 150,000+ dead
- 12 million displaced
- Famine spreading across the land
- Ethnic cleansing in Darfur
- Entire cities sacked and burned to the ground
Yet, while this is a Sudanese civil war, it is not the Sudanese themselves who are keeping it alive. The conflict has become a proxy war, fueled by a steady influx of foreign weapons, money, and support. Among the many international players involved—Egypt, Qatar, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, and the Houthis—one nation stands out as the largest single backer of the RSF: the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Since mid-2023, Abu Dhabi has been secretly delivering arms, intelligence, and medical aid to RSF fighters, despite their involvement in war crimes, mass killings, and systematic rape. While the UAE insists it is providing only humanitarian aid, mounting evidence suggests otherwise.
Today, we unpack the UAE’s deep involvement in Sudan’s war—from covert arms shipments to geopolitical ambitions—and explore whether anything can be done to stop it.
A ‘Humanitarian’ Base That Was Anything But
In the summer of 2023, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) established a base in the small Chadian city of Am Jarass, near the Sudanese border. Officially, Abu Dhabi claimed the base was a field hospital for Sudanese refugees fleeing the violence.
But evidence quickly mounted that this was a front for weapons smuggling.
By January 2024, a UN investigation found “credible evidence” that the hospital was being used to transfer arms to the RSF. Around the same time, the State Department-funded Sudan Conflict Observatory tracked at least 32 cargo flights suspected of carrying weapons to the RSF. Western intelligence agencies, Sudanese officials, and multiple investigative reports—including from The New York Times—reached the same conclusion:
- The UAE was not just supplying aid but actively fueling one side of the war.
- Weapons, drones, and armored vehicles were being funneled through the Am Jarass base.
- The UAE may also be providing intelligence and treating wounded RSF fighters at its “field hospital.”
This wasn’t just another case of foreign interference. The UAE’s support fundamentally changed the course of the war—giving the RSF the firepower it needed to turn Sudan into a war zone of atrocities.
How the UAE Is Keeping the RSF Alive
When war first broke out in April 2023, most analysts believed the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) would win quickly. The army controlled air power, and the RSF had no means of countering it. But thanks to UAE military support, the RSF was able to neutralize this advantage.
According to a leaked EU diplomatic memo, the UAE has provided the RSF with:
🚀 Drones – Likely operated remotely from the UAE, used for battlefield surveillance.
💥 MANPADS (Man-Portable Air Defense Systems) – Supplied with training from Russia’s Wagner Group, allowing RSF to shoot down SAF aircraft.
🎯 Howitzers and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launchers – Used for long-range bombardments.
🚜 Armored Personnel Carriers – Manufactured by UAE-based companies, some featuring French-made defense systems in violation of an EU arms embargo.
📦 Crates of Ammunition and Missiles – Some of which originated from Serbia and were later found in RSF-controlled warehouses.
These arms shipments have directly prolonged the war, enabling the RSF to continue looting, killing, and displacing civilians.
Even more disturbingly, UAE influence has altered the diplomatic landscape, preventing the Sudanese army from securing allies:
- Egypt initially backed the Sudanese military. But after Abu Dhabi offered Cairo a $35 billion investment, Egypt quietly withdrew its support.
- Chad, where the UAE airbase is located, should be supporting ethnic Zaghawa militias against the RSF. Instead, Chadian President Mahamat Déby has allowed UAE flights to supply the RSF—likely due to a $1.5 billion loan from Abu Dhabi.
Through weapons and diplomatic maneuvering, the UAE has become the single most important foreign power keeping the RSF in the fight.
Why Is the UAE Supporting the RSF?
What does Abu Dhabi stand to gain from backing a genocidal paramilitary force? Theories range from economic interests to geopolitical ambitions:
1. Control of Sudan’s Gold Trade 🏆
Sudan is one of Africa’s largest gold producers, and most of its gold flows through Dubai. Even before the war, Sudanese gold was a major source of UAE wealth:
- In 2022, the UAE officially imported 39 tons of Sudanese gold.
- Another 60 tons may have been smuggled into the UAE through Chad, Egypt, and Ethiopia.
The war has only increased illegal gold smuggling, allowing both the RSF and the Sudanese military to sell gold in exchange for weapons. The UAE is believed to be one of the biggest buyers of this conflict gold.
2. Influence Over the Red Sea 🌊
Many analysts believe Abu Dhabi’s end goal is a strategic port on the Red Sea. Sudan controls a vital stretch of coastline, and whoever controls Sudan controls Red Sea access.
But here’s the paradox: before the war, the UAE already had a deal to build a Red Sea port. Supporting the RSF has jeopardized that agreement, making this theory less convincing.
3. Personal Loyalty to the RSF Leader 🤝
Some believe UAE ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed (MBZ) feels personally indebted to RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”). In the late 2010s, the RSF provided troops to support the UAE’s war in Yemen. MBZ may be returning the favor, even at great cost.
4. The UAE’s “Scramble for Africa” 🌍
The UAE, like Turkey, Iran, and Russia, has been expanding its influence in Africa. Some believe Sudan is just another piece in Abu Dhabi’s regional power play—where controlling conflicts means controlling future alliances, trade, and influence.
Can Anything Be Done?
Despite overwhelming evidence of UAE arms smuggling, Western powers have done little to stop it.
In late 2024, the Biden administration imposed sanctions on RSF leaders and UAE-linked companies. However:
- The UAE was still named a “major defense partner” of the U.S.
- 5,000 U.S. troops remain stationed in the UAE
- Abu Dhabi is a key player in Middle East diplomacy, including Israel-Palestine peace efforts
In short, the UAE is too valuable for the West to confront directly.
Until global leaders decide Sudan’s suffering is worth more than diplomatic convenience, the war will rage on.
Conclusion: A War with No End in Sight
As every day passes, Sudan moves closer to becoming a failed state.
🚨 Millions face famine
🔥 Cities burn
👶 Children die of malnutrition
⚠️ The RSF continues its mass killings
The UAE may not have started this war, but it is certainly keeping it going.
Until someone—through pressure, diplomacy, or sheer political will—convinces Abu Dhabi to stop arming the RSF, Sudan’s nightmare will continue.
